Women of Taste: Recipes and Profiles of Famous Women Chefs

One of the oldest —and most paradoxical —of conventional beliefs is that while every woman should be a good cook, only a man can be a great chef. Thanks, in great part, to the women profiled in this book, that once-thriving notion is on its way to becoming as extinct as the dinosaur. While they are still outnumbered by men, women chefs have, in just the past 20 years, established themselves as the creative talents behind some of the best kitchens in the world and have won more prestigious culinary awards than anyone would have dreamed possible just a generation ago.

In Women of Taste, you'll meet 32 of these talented and courageous women and find out how they made it in a man's world. Internationally renowned chefs such as Susan Weaver, Debra Ponzek, Rozanne Gold, Sarabeth Levine, and Susanna Foo share their war stories and in their own words relate how, against all odds, they rose to the top of their professions.

You also get to sample some of their culinary magic. In addition to providing fascinating illustrated profiles of these culinary geniuses, Woman of Taste features over 175 recipes presented in menu form by each chef. As diverse and original as their creators, the dishes described range from the unexpected —Diane Forley's Creme Brulée Infused with Verbena Leaves and Patricia Williams's Corn Crêpes with Ossetra Caviar —to the familiar — Josefina Howard's Guacamole, and Molly Siple's Red Bliss Potato Salad.

Celebrating the achievements of 32 pioneering women who have turned the culinary world on its head, Women of Taste is a source of both inspiration and gustatory delights.

Chefs featured in this book

Andrée Abramoff

Jody Adams

Suzanne Baby

Karen Barnaby

Alison Barshak

Ann Cashion

Suzy Crofton

Susanna Foo

Renee Foote

Diane Forley

Gale Gand

Beverly Gannon

Monique Gaumont-Lanvin

Rozanne Gold

Aliza Green

Josefina Howard

Evan Kleiman

Marjorie Kloss

Sarabeth Levine

Susan McCreight Lindeborg

Susan Mendelson

Carrie Nahabedian

Nancy Oakes

Debra Ponzek

Jill Prescott

Susan Regis

Peggy Ryan

Lydia Shire

Nancy Silverton

Molly Siple

Katell Thielemann

Susan Weaver

Patricia Williams

Beverly Russell (New Paltz, NY) is also the author of Women of Design. The former editorial director of Architecture and Interiors, she has been an editor at House & Garden, Bride's, and House Beautiful.